BLUE MOUNTAINS, ON – The Blue Mountains Public Library is gearing up for a year of celebration to mark Canada’s 150th anniversary. The Library is pleased to announce it has received a $5,000 grant from Community Foundation Grey-Bruce. The funds will support a year-long series of programmes organized by the Blue Mountains Public Library.

The Blue Mountains traces its heritage back hundreds of millions of years to the formation of the land itself, followed by the arrival of people several thousands of years ago, all the way up to the vibrant community of today. In 2017, celebrate The Town of The Blue Mountains’ unique environment and its place within Canada. Rich and diverse stories will be featured in programmes and special events planned throughout the year at both branches of the Blue Mountains Public Library – the Craigleith Heritage Depot and the L.E. Shore Memorial Library – as well as throughout the community.

January’s theme will be Explorers and the First Peoples. On January 15th from 1:00 pm to 4:00pm at the Craigleith Heritage Depot, you will be able to imagine what it was like to walk / snowshoe in Champlain’s Footsteps. Discover winter travel in the Blue Mountains four hundred years ago and check out snowshoes on your library card all winter long. Scenic Caves has supported this programme for the month of January. You can also bring the whole family to our French language and explorer-themed programmes throughout the month, including story times and conversational French classes. This is just the beginning!

The following months will be just as full of activities. Make sure to look at the Library’s events calendar, which can be found on its website, throughout the year to stay up to date. Each month will have themed programmes at both locations:

February will showcase Black History during Black History Month with locally-focused programming.

March, including March Break, will focus on the Canadian Circus and high flying acts that have grown here in The Blue Mountains.

April is Canadian Film month, and programming will include an event for National Canadian Film Day on April 19, 2017.

May will look at Clay the Canadian Way, an exploration of a millennia of making objects from Blue Mountains clay.

June will be about everything Naturally Blue as we revel in the wonders of the natural world while spring becomes summer.

July will kick off with a Canada Day’s Eve Party (June 30, 2017) where we gear up to celebrate our country’s 150th birthday with a community party featuring interactive games and activities for all ages at Tomahawk Recreation Complex in Thornbury.

August celebrates local Canadians’ innovative skills through Inventing Canada.

September’s harvest will bring us Canadian Foodways, from comfort food to the apples of this region.

October will shine a spotlight on Stories from our Community as it is also Family History Month, Canadian Library Month, and Ontario Public Library Week!

November will be a time to focus on Defending Canada to highlight and honour the Canadian Military.

December will celebrate Multiculturalism Canada during the festive winter season.

This initiative is made possible by the Community Fund for Canada’s 150th, a collaboration between Community Foundation Grey Bruce, the Government of Canada, and extraordinary leaders from coast to coast to coast.